Sunrise
by Kichigai Hi
Summary: When you love the rising sun, it's hard to accept one that appears to be setting. [Aang]


This will be the first fanfic of a few (three) others in my little storyline. They're all oneshots which will be posted separately - in case anyone's interested. ;-) This was inspired by "More Than A Body More Than A Name", I don't remember the author's name, but if you're reading this, this goes to you!

Anyway, this particular one's about a certain someone who shall go nameless with only some mild shipping at the end. I hope it doesn't come across as too abstract (tell me if it is) and tell me if there are any problems cause this popped out of my head REALLY late at night.

Enough babbling. Enjoy. :)

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_Sunrise_

_Early mornings and windy days were the only witnesses to one content soul whose limbs lay spread about him as he stared into the yellow-orange sky. Before life awoke to the new dawn that would bring in hope and peace to eager hearts, he would admire the vivacity of nature's colors which reflected his spirit. He'd feel the crisp breeze that just longed to whisk him away on an adventure... which it one day did... but the years of change had been a lifetime away. The world was at rest and the yearnings of a young boy were put into calm contemplation every sunrise._

The sunrise. A symbol of rebirth and beauty, it was the one reminder that no matter what joys or horrors the glowing orb watched over, it was constant; always there, always shining when happiness was lost in the dark of night. He would dream of these times when he laughed with the children he lived with and soar through the skies. It gave him a promise that soon, he could enjoy his gifts of freedom once again -- a sign that change would be quick to come. All the time that he had lived, he enjoyed each day to its fullest and would try to claim immortality, if just to never lose his satisfaction of life. The only problem with living on this beautiful earth, was that it could not last forever and even in his naivety, he knew that the final day would come too quickly. The only thing he could do was indulge in whatever good things were in store for him until then and pray that his life would be long and full. That way, the quick years would pass by slowly and he could feel these emotions until he would pass on. Footsteps softly padded behind him and the lounging boy turned to find the face of his smiling friend.

_"Come on, let's go play..."_

He stood and bid farewell to the pale blue sky as he lived another carefree day. He did this each morning until his prayer was finally granted... at least, a part of it.

How could he know the number of sunrises that would miss his youthful eyes as he slept in the arms of the ocean? His life had gone beyond his years and some spirit must have heard his plea to grant him his young mentality to keep even as the world around him had changed. He could be wild, he still always looked to the skies... but no matter how many returns of the sun on the horizon came, none were ever the same. It would be long before he could once again feel at ease as he reflected upon the golden clouds that had guided him all of those years.

He used to constantly recall the days when he'd thrust himself into the arms of his guardian and cried about how one day, all of this would be over and he would have to die. The years pass by before a blink of an eye and as soon as you have it, it's gone. The old man would simply pat his back and speak words of wisdom in his ear.

_"Don't dwell on the future or the past. All that matters is now and that however much things will change, you'll always have something to look forward to."_

The man could not bear to tell him that his life here would, in fact, change quickly... just not in the way that he thought.

Now, he remembered the endless months of running and fighting that ensued after his awakening in a girl's arms. It took so long for him to believe that the temples and the people within them were gone... he missed the times he would sneak outside just before the monastery woke and look forward to life. The sun had finally set on this part of his life when he was too far gone to notice... it signified the end of such a good, perfect time. He'd always had a tendency to sadly turn his back on sunsets... yet, as he looked inside the mist of blue that adorned the face of his rescuer one century later, he found that another sun had risen within them. But still, none were ever the same.

How long had it been since he'd watched the sun's majestic path begin? How long since he'd been aware of the fact that no matter how long he lived, it was a pure miracle that he had come this far in the first place? No longer living for eternity, he lived for the day -- and for the new life that had birthed in the form of the girl he had somehow found to love. The months of travel and adventure, however, would come to a close too... He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and the standing adolescent spun on his heel to gaze in the eyes of his crying friend.

_"Come on... let's go fight."_

So he plunged into the battle that would change the world, and emerged from it with a newfound peace. There was nothing more about which to worry... they had made it, and they had won. How was it that a beautiful new beginning had turned into a tragic end? What happens when the very thing for which you live is slowly and tantalizingly pulled away from you before your very eyes and there is nothing you can do? He was left alone in the darkness. His sunrise was gone.

It felt like years yet it had been only days since his life had taken a turn for the worst, ironic how the saddest of lives are never ending yet the pleasured ones are never spanned far enough. His had been both... but he had a feeling that the last of his light for the way had been taken away, blue eyes disappearing, and nothing could ever take its place again.

The moon was out that endless night. He dreamed of the lush forests of the spirit world and the flowing rivers and fields in which one would spend their afterlife. Had that ever been an option for him before? No, he had too much to do just then... but the sun would rise, and the sun would set... the right time would come. Childhood wishes forgotten, he knew all too well that you couldn't always get what you wanted and you simply had to do with what you had before that too was stolen from you.

_"...you'll always have something to look forward to."_

Maybe the days of finality and the cessation of his fulfilled life wouldn't be so bad after all, because this time, there would be no more sunrises that lightened his features and lifted his soul. One day, he would resort to the paradise and hope of all people passed, not just yet, but at least something was still there for him. Suddenly, he was glad that spirits had never heard his pleas...

_"...pray that my life be long and full..."_

...because the sun had fallen and would no longer grace his horizon. Why bother trying to bring it back? Why work for the life whose will had become pointless. It was time to move on, and instead of living with elation and satisfaction, he'd just have to make do with whatever was left from the sun's disappearing rays.

And suddenly, as the late, humid night kept watch over the saddened soul who longingly gazed that the western sky, he was relieved that life wasn't so long after all.

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**A/N:**

No, not all of them will be so depressing, actually this goes in line with another story in the making. With a bit of encouragement, I might feel brave enough to post the first couple parts -- this is my first posted fic! grins I'll post some earlier oneshots later once I get over my laziness (and full schedule) to type them up.

Please review! I like critiques.

Cheers! Jaa Mata


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